Voltaren Gel, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, can be applied to the skin on an arthritic knee or hand. The manufacturer, Novartis, says it will be available by prescription in early 2008.

The gel is the first U.S.-approved topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug for osteoarthritis pain. Rare side effects linked to oral NSAIDs including heart attack, stroke and gastrointestinal bleeding may be less likely to occur with Voltaren, experts say, because it is applied to and absorbed by only the affected joint.

"The advantage to this preparation [compared with oral painkillers] is that it seems like it's providing comparable relief but with little systemic absorption," says Raymond Flores, a rheumatologist at the University of Maryland.

In Novartis' trials, Voltaren relieved hand pain by 46 percent after six weeks of use, compared with 36 percent in a control group that received an inactive gel, says Roy Altman, a Novartis consultant and UCLA rheumatologist. Other patients saw their knee pain drop by half after 12 weeks of using the gel, while a comparison group had a 39 percent reduction in pain.

Voltaren shouldn't be used by patients taking oral NSAIDs.

Source: The Bergen County Record, N.J. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. Powered by Yellowbrix.

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